Player harmonica



Nov. 16, 1954 v. A. COSTELLO PLAYER HARMONICA 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 29, 1951 M i .l L M nu MJ .l Jj 0\ WT 5 f mm E HU \l IVM 1 I, x zwlfwwwwl mfmrwwlmvr 2\ IIY |||V Aw 3 Dd 3 3 2 a Vi. BYMMMQCYNMM 029.05 aaalm ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 16, 1954 v. A. COSTELLO PLAYER HARMONICA 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29. 1951 INVENTOR.

ATT( )RNEYSI United States Patent O I PLAYER HARMONICA Vincent A. Costello, Fredonia, N. Y., assignor to Nor-Cos Corporation, Easton, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application June 29, 1951, Serial No. 234,235

3 Claims. (Cl. 84-93) This invention relates to musical instruments, and more particularly to harmonica instruments of the player type, wherein a music roll of the perforated paper type may be utilized to play the same. Such instruments may be played by unskilled and unpracticed persons to produce music of high caliber, merely by blowing into or r b. drawing air from the instrument while moving the music l roll, as by turning a handle.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an instrument of the type described of highly simplied design and construction, particularly adapted for ease and economy of manufacture and assembly, while retaining excellent tone and instrument quality.

A further object of the invention is to provide a harmonica instrument of sturdy and attractive design, easily played, and adapted to facilitate quick and easy insertion, removal and replacement of music rolls therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a harmonica instrument of the player type particularly adapted to be constructed of molded plastic material. f Yet another object is to provide a harmonica instrument encased in a molded plastic shell of divided construction, the casing parts thereof being joined by novel rand simplified hinge structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel hinge structure for joining parts of molded plastic material.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof will best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a preferred embodiment of the invention, partially broken away to show the novel hinge structure incorporated therein;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the device with the cover thrown back, a portion of the harmonica housing `being broken away for the sake of clarity;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the embodiment of Figure 1, and

Figure 7 is an interior view of the harmonica housing of the device, looking toward the open side thereof and showing the positioning flanges and gasket therein.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in Figures 1 and 6 are shown exterior views of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, comprising a casing 10 having a base wall 12, side walls 13 and 14, and end walls 15 and 16. The casing 10 is desirably integrally molded of organic polymeric plastic material, such as Bakelite. The casing base wall 12 is provided with a plurality of suitably positioned and spaced air passages 17, and with an opening 18 adjacent end wall 16 defined by an outwardly projecting mouthpiece 19, preferably formed integrally with the casing.

As best shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, a harmonica housing 20 of deeply dished form is mounted within casing 10, the housing being positioned approximately midway between casing side walls 13 and 14 and extending substantially between the casing end walls 15 and 16, overllfing, as best shown in Figure 4, the base wall open- 1ng Along its open side, housing 20 is enlarged at intervals to form the internally threaded bosses 22, by means of which the housing is secured to the inner face of casing 10 by screws 23, extending through the casing into the housing bosses. Desirably, the open edge of the housing is also cemented to the casing, to form a more rigid structure and an air-tight seal between the housing and the inner face of the casing.

Housing 20 is adapted to enclose and firmly and precisely position a harmonica 24 therewithin. The housing is provided with a plurality of regularly spaced apertures 25 in the bottom thereof, and internally with a pair of longitudinal flanges 26 extending on opposite sides of the row of apertures 25 and adapted to position and align the harmonica 24. As best shown in Figures 5 and 7, shoulders 27 are provided inside flanges 26, adapted to limit the entry of the harmonica thereinto. Flanges 26 also comprise inwardly extending shoulders 28, which position the end of the harmonica away from one end wall of the housing and prevent longitudinal movement thereof. Between anges 26 and in immediate proximity to the shoulders 27 and 28 thereof is provided an apertured gasket 29, of cork or similar material, the gasket being provided with openings 30 spaced for alignment with the housing apertures 25. The bottoms of shoulders 27 are so spaced from the open edge of the housing that the harmonica 24 will be firmly and resiliently biased by the shoulders 27 against the inner face of casing 10 through the gasket 29, when the elements are assembled as shown. lt will be noted (see Figures 4 and 7) that the shoulders 27 are so positioned as to space one end of the harmonica from the housing end overlapping the base wall opening 18, so that the opening 18 is only partially overlapped by the harmonica. By reason of the internal construction of the housing, when the instrument is assembled as shown the harmonica is precisely retained in desired positional relationship, and rigidly restrained from relative movement in any direction.

A pair of music roll spools 32 are suitably mounted in casing 10 on opposite sides of the harmonica housing, one end of the spools being supported by pins 33 mounted in or integral with the casing end wall 15, and the other end of the spools being rotatably supported by driving pins 34. The driving pins 34 extend through casing end wall 16, enclosed by bearing members 35 mounted therein, the driving pins being provided with enlarged guide portions 36 adapted to reciprocate within the internal bearing chambers 37. A spring 38 encloses each driving pin 34, the spring extending from the inner surface of the outer end of the bearing member to the inner surface of guide portion 36, whereby the driving pin is constantly urged inwardly, as will be readily understood. A handle or crank 39 is mounted on the outer end of each driving pin, whereby it may be readily rotated by hand, and the inner end of each driving pin is provided with a lug 40 or similar element adapted to engage the adjacent end of the spool in driving relationship. A conventional music roll 42 of the perforated paper type is wound upon one of the spools 32, and is conducted therefrom over the closed end of the harmonica housing to the other spool. As shown in Figure 5, the spool axes are below the level of the bottom of the harmonica housing, so that in passage from one spool to another the music roll 42 is stretched over and conducted across the bottom of the housing in close proximity thereto. As shown in Figure 4, the music roll 42 is provided with suitable perforations 43, which control the playing of the instrument in well known manner.

To complete a suitable tone chamber for the instrument, a cover 44 is hingedly mounted on an edge of the casing side wall 13. Cover 44 is desirably also molded of plastic material, and is hinged to the casing in novel manner. From the edge of casing side wall 13 extend spaced pairs of spaced, aligned barrel members 45, and from the corresponding edge of cover 44 extend barrel members 46, each positioned for disposition between and in alignment with the barrel pairs 45. A hinge pin 47 extends through the barrel members 45 and 46 constituting each hinge unit. The hinge pins may be constructed of molded plastic material, preferably of the same material as comprises the'casing and cover, and by one of the novel aspects of this invention are cemented to the `barrel members 45 of the casing forming the outer barrels of the hinge structure.

In the assembly of the device, the hinge may be formed by positioning and aligning barrel members 46 between the barrel member pairs 45. As'is illustrated in the broken-away portionof Figure 1, a hinge pin 47, which also may be formed of plastic material, is then inserted in the barrel members. In order to hold the pin 1n place, a small quantity of cement may be applied to its trailing end as indicated at 49 and cement also may be applied to the far barrel member 45 as indicated at 48. In this manner, suitable cement is provided in each of the barrel members 45 adjacent the ends of the hinge pin 4'7, and the cement may be set in suitable manner depending upon the character of the cement employed. For example, the cement may be set by air drying,

evaporation of solvent, application of heat, or the like.l

In this manner, a hinge structure is attained in which the hinge pin is rmly cemented to the outer barrel members 4S of the casing, while the barrel member 46 of the cover may freely rotate thereon.

The above hinge structure involving the use of cement obviously is applicable for use with other devices formed of plastic material.

The opposite edge of cover 44 may be provided with a flexible latch 50 having a lip 51 at its outer end, adapted to enter and engage a groove 52 in the inner surface of the casing side wall 14. As will be readily understood, the latch is operative to engage casing groove 52 and retain the cover 44 in closed relationship, but may be readily displaced by manual pressure on the cover to permit opening thereof.

The instrument may be readily and quickly assembled from its component parts. Assembly of the harmonica housing to casing involves no more than placement of gasket 29 between the housing flanges 26, and then inserting the outlet edge of the harmonica between the anges. The flanges desirably are so spaced as to enclose the harmonica with a close t, so that it is frictionally retained therebetween. Obviously, the shoulders 28 insure alignment between the harmonica outlets and the gasket and housing apertures. The housing, with the gasket and harmonica retained therein, may then be readily mounted on and sealed to the casing, merely by applying cement to the open edge of the housing, positioning the housing in contact with the inner face of the casing, and joining the members by means of screws 23.

The driving pins 34 may be mounted in bearing members 35 by placing springs 3S thereon and inserting through the open vend of the bearing members, until guide portions 36 enter the bearing chambers 37. Cranks 39 may then be cemented'or otherwise suitably joined to the protruding ends of the driving pins, whereby retention of the assemblies in the casing is effected. The cover 44 is hingedly engaged to the casing in the manner previously described, whereby the assembly is complete and ready for use.

A spool 32 having a music roll 42 wound thereon may be placed in the instrument by tting one end of the spool onto a pin 33, and engaging the opposite end of the spool by withdrawing the corresponding driving pin 34 against the pressure of the enclosed spring 38, and then allowing it to move into engagement with the adjacent spool end when aligned. The driving pin may be displaced against the pressure of the spring by means of the handle 39 engaged thereto. The leading end of the music roll is then conducted over the bottom of the harmonica housing and temporarily secured to the other spool 32 in any conventional manner. The cover of the instrument may thenbe latched shut and the instrument played by blowing into or inhaling through the mouthpiece 19, while winding the music roll across the bottom of the harmonica housing. The harmonica is equipped with duplicate sets of reeds reversed as to each other so that the same note will be sounded by passage of air through theharmonica in either direction.

Air caused to pass through the harmonica follows a path `(in either direction) through mouthpiece 19 into the interior of housing 20. The air is free to pass inwardly alongside the end of the harmonica which is spaced from the end wall of the housing. From this point the air may pass along either side of the housing, but may not emerge therefrom except through a harmonica reed and a harmonica outlet, and the gasket opening and housing aperture aligned therewith. The cementing of the housing to the inner face of the casing and the gasket 29 prevent leakage of air by any other path. So far as individual reed chambers of the harmonica are concerned, passage of air therethrough can take place only when the aligned casing aperture is exposed by passage of a music roll perforation 43 thereover. The casing is open to the atmosphere through the air passages 17 therein. Utilization of the casing air passages for access of air to the closed instrument has the effect of employing cover 44 as a sounding board.

When a piece of music has been completed, the music roll may be rewound by manipulating the proper crank handle, and the casing may be readily opened by finger pressure to unlatch cover 44, the music roll removed as previously described, and another music roll may be inserted and played in a similar manner.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a structure in which the various objects d hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, a-re successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore s et forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, andl not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a device for housing a musical instrument of the harmonica and music roll player type, the combination comprising: a casing having side walls and a base wall, an outwardly projecting mouthpiece defining an opening in-said base wall adjacent a side wall, a harmonica housing of deeply dished form having apertures in the bottom thereof, means to lsecure the open side of said housing to the inner face of the casing base wall with an end of the housing overlapping said base wall opening, anges extending inwardly from the bottom of said housing adjacent the apertures therein, said anges including shoulders on ythe inside wall thereof to limit the entry of the harmonica thereto and additional shoulders extending inwardly from the ends of said anges for preventing longitudinal movement of the harmonica and spacing the harmonica from the housing end overlapping said base wall opening.

2. In a device of the character described in claim 1 including a perforated gasket disposed between the harmonica housing flanges, said gasket being adapted to form an airtight passage from each harmonica outlet to the corresponding housing aperture.

3. In a device of the character described in claim 1 wherein said means for securing the open side of said housing to the inner face of the casing base wall includes screws extending through said casing into said housing and an adhesive applied between the open side ofv said housing and the inner face of the casing base wall.

References Cited in the le of thisy patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,720,991 Banks Iuly 16, 1929 1,750,791 Beyer Mar. 18, 1930 1,813,337 Zimmerman et al. Iuly 7, 1931 1,865,522 Jackson Iuly 5, 1932 2,200,430 Pullen May 14, 1940 2,487,869 Hamel Nov. 15, 1949 2,527,318 Magnus Oct. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 315,909 Germany Nov. 15, 1919 533,553 Germany Sept. 22, 1931 

